Let’s be honest: 2024 was one of the fullest, most complete years for RPGs in history. Whether you were looking at the AAA space (ahem, me), more independent offerings, or really anything between, there was a lot for everyone.
That also means that I played several more games released this year than usual. While I often get creative with the titles I select, this time I feel confident that I’ve played enough of this year’s releases to create my own Top Five list.
But first…
Runner-Ups
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Persona 3 Reload, Black Myth Wukong, and Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail are all games worth your time but each is let down by significant flaws, in my view. Whether it’s a shockingly poor ending, too much repetitiveness, bad input and performance issues, or simply failing to peek out of the shadow of what’s come before, they all fall just short. Nonetheless, I considered them all for my list, and in a less stacked year, they would have easily made it.
5: Fantasian Neo Dimension
Here’s my advice for playing Fantasian: Neo Dimension: skip all the cutscenes and dialogue. That’s not just because the story is bad (really bad) but because the game is long. Plus, without having to pay attention to all that insipid chatter, you get to pay attention to the good stuff: the beautiful dioramas, the solid music, and, most importantly, that combat.
I chose to play Fantasian on the original “hard” difficulty, and I’m ecstatic that I did. It’s refreshing to play a game that isn’t doing anything too fancy with its turn-based systems, but each boss encounter requires a full understanding of your party’s kit (yes, all of them), to look for weaknesses, and just generally asks you to pay attention. Frankly, it’s the most fun I had with combat all year, and that’s something this year of all years, so it just makes my list.
4: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
I’ve written far more words about Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake this year than any game during my 6+ years at RPGFan. I couldn’t be happier about that. In my view, it’s almost the perfect remake, especially for an NES RPG; it still feels like the original felt all those years ago, but it’s much more approachable, it looks and sounds great, and it’s available on every major console.
Sure, there are other games I liked better this year, but none achieved something so specific and so unique. For that and many other reasons, it’s a game every RPG fan should celebrate.
3: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
I’m going to start somewhat controversially here: I think Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was a little too hard at launch. There. I said it. I’ve played every Soulsborne title over the last year. They’ve all been tough, of course, but I could still play my way and learn and adapt. That’s the point. Here, for the first time, the final boss required me to use a build I didn’t want to use to get him down. It’s been patched, thankfully, but it’s left a slightly sour taste in my mouth.
It’s remarkable, then, that it still sits so high on my list. That’s because everything else about Shadow of the Erdtree is peak FromSoft game design. Most of the boss designs are very tough, but varied and fair. The world is significantly more vertical than anything this side of the original Dark Souls, and it manages to maintain a little of that game’s spirit with the multiple ways to access spaces and the interconnectedness of the map. Oh, the areas are also gorgeous, and the somber cello accentuating our journey really put me in the right headspace. The fact that it’s longer than many “full” RPGs is just the cherry on top of this wonderful expansion to the world of Elden Ring.
2: Metaphor: ReFantazio
While Metaphor: ReFantazio clearly has the DNA of other Atlus titles, notably Shin Megami Tensei and Etrian Odyssey, I think it’s foolish to argue against Persona as the series that directly inspired it most.
Here’s the thing: I’ve never been the biggest fan of modern Persona games.
Don’t get me wrong; there’s plenty I love about them. The style, the combat, and most of the story beats land with all three of them. But I always find myself getting a little worn out by the social link structure by the end, and the stories either take too long to get going or don’t stick the landing.
Metaphor: ReFantazio cures almost all of those ills while standing on its own legs to boot. The combat and job system are a delight; there’s just the right level of customization in the job system, and press-turn works well even in a slightly less challenging RPG. It looks and sounds great. The story actually has something important to say, and even if the answers to the questions the game asks are a little too pat, I’m glad they asked them. The characters are also a delight from top to bottom.
But what truly struck me is how it took the Persona formula and made it feel fresh. Sure, you’re still maintaining “confidants” and doing other activities to raise your social stats, but this time there are so many different ways to do it, so many different types of activities, that it never felt stale over its 80 hours. Even if everything else about it wasn’t so excellent, that alone would be enough to recommend it, and it’s very nearly my game of the year.
1: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
It took me a long time to decide on my favorite game of the year, but at the end of the day, it came down to what I value: a game that swings big, even if it misses sometimes. A game that has the highest of highs, even if it has some lows. And, for me, that’s Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
To be sure, there are frustrations with Rebirth: some dull or infuriating mini-games, an open world that often feels like a checklist rather than real exploration, and too many invisible walls during that exploration. But what Rebirth gets right, it excels at. The combat, a revelation in Remake, is further honed here, and if you fully engage with it, the encounters are a delight. The soundtrack is out of this world; honestly, they can do as many versions of “Aerith’s Theme” as they want, and I’ll always be here for it. The story is remarkably faithful to the original in all the ways that matter, blending the serious and the ridiculous and recreating all the spectacle and awe I experienced all those years ago.
But again, the people of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth are the real “high” for me. The characters, from beginning to end, are just amazing. Whether it’s the depth Barret gets with his time below the Gold Saucer, Red XIII’s two sides, or even Cait Sith’s brilliant Scottish accent, they all land and they’re all beautiful. Of course, Aerith once again takes the day, building on her brilliant writing in Remake to create what is, to my mind, the best character we’ve seen in an RPG in over a decade.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a remarkable achievement, and I can’t wait to see where they go with the trilogy’s conclusion.
